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Dustin Risdon didn't want to be a flash in the pan.
Neither did Pan.
And they weren't.
A day after lighting up the Edmonton Telus Open with two of the tournament's hottest rounds, Risdon and Pan Singhaseni continued their leaderboard ascent yesterday.
Risdon followed up his course-record 63 with another gem, a six-under 65 that gives him a two-shot lead heading into today's final round at the Edmonton Country Club.
His 15-under total (70-53-65-198)gives him a whisper of breathing room on Singhaseni, who's been a model of consistency at 13-under (67-65-68-200).
Second-round leader Alan McLean and Derek Gillespie are tied for third at 12-under, followed by a pack of five at 11-under.
"I knew I had to back up that (course record) round, which can be hard to do after a day like Friday," said Risdon, a 26-year-old from Calgary looking for his first win on the Canadian Tour.
"I didn't want to change anything from the first two days, and it's working."
After parring his first hole, Risdon ran off four birdies in a row - rolling in a 15 foot putt on two, hitting it stiff and making a five-footer on three, jarring one from the sand on four and rolling in a 30-foot putt on five.
That, on the heels of his eight-under round on Friday, put him 12-under for a run of 23 holes.
"That'll do," he said adding it's the hottest he's ever been in a pro tournament.
"I like to think I'm a consistent player, but when I get it going I can make a lot of birdies."
The former two-time Alberta Amateur champion, a Tour member for five years, started rolling last week in Calgary.
He shot a third round 66 to make the cut on the number, then went nine-under on the weekend to finish in 17th place.
Now this.
"I've made a lot of cuts this year and just played crappy on the weekend," he said.
"I finally got it done last weekend, my best finish of the year. And my confidence grew coming up here."
He's never won before (his best finish was a Sunday charge in the 2003 Telus at Windermere that vaulted him into second) but is starting to realize that he has enough game to make it into the winner's circle.
"One of my good buddies, Byron Smith, won the Mazatlan tournament earlier this year. I play practice rounds with him all the time... and I don't feel my game is all that different from his.
"Seeing that he got it done gave me a little boost of confidence, too.
"That's what I'm looking to do - prove that I can play at the level that they play out here. I know I can play at this level, but I want to win at this level."
As for Singhaseni, well, when your highest round after 54 holes is a 68, you have to like your chances, too.
He and Risdon will play in the final group today (teeing off a 1 p.m.) and they're both looking forward to it.
"We were both cheering each other on," said the Bangkok native.
"We were both making a bunch of pars for a while and he came up to me and 'Let's start making some putts, start making some birdies.' And it worked."
Like Risdon, he's never led going into a final round on this side of the pond.
"On the Canadian Tour it's never happened," said Singhaseni.
"Over in Thailand I have but it's a totally different feel, and the competition is a lot stiffer out here."
Risdon knows the knees will be shaking a little in today's final round.
"I was a little nervous when we started today. On the first green when I got over my putt my legs kind of locked up. After that I made a couple of birdies that loosened me up a little bit.
"I haven't been in this position all year. First time I've had the lead.
"It's healthy for you to be nervous the first couple of holes."